Storage device for a spare length of at least one optical fibre

Abstract

The invention relates to a storage device for a spare length of at least one optical fibre which emerges from a cable end, which stroage device can be arranged in the vicinity of the cable end and comprises a flat stroage space in which the spare length is arranged in the form of a coil, the end of the optical fibre which leads to the joint being extractable, during which operation the diameter of the coil is reduced, the storage space comprising guide walls which define the minimum inner coil diameter, the maximum outer coil diameter and also the axial height. In order to ensure that the mobility length required for moving the storage device away from a housing can be accommodated in an ordered manner, the storage space is divided into two winding spaces (7, 8), one of which (8) accommodates the connection length required for forming the joint while the other storage space (7) accommodates a mobility length which is required for moving the storage device away from the cable end, lengths of the optical fibre being independently extractable from both winding spaces (7, 8).

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A storage device for a spare length of at least one optical fibre which emerges from a cable end, which storage device can be arranged in the vicinity of the cable end and comprises a flat storage space in which the spare length is arranged in the form of a coil, an end of optical fibre which leads to a joint being extractable, during which operation the diameter of the coil is reduced, the storage space comprising guide walls which determine the minimum inner coil diameter, the maximum outer coil diameter and the axial height, and a core (6) whose radius is larger than the mechanically permissible minimum bending radius of the optical fibre or fibre ribbon and smaller than the minimum bending radius of the optical fibre or fibre ribbon required to ensure that attenuation is not increased, characterized in that the storage space is subdivided into two winding spaces (7, 8, 48, 49), one of which (8, 48) accommodates the connection lengths (54) required for forming the joint (56) while the other winding space (7, 49) accommodates a mobility length (52) required for moving the storage device away from the cable end, lengths of the optical fibre being independently slidably extractable from and insertable into their respective winding spaces. 
     
     
       2. A storage device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a part of the optical fibre or fibre ribbon which is situated between the mobility length and the connection length is secured to the storage device by a clamping device. 
     
     
       3. A storage device as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the clamping device is formed by soft-elastic elements (39, 40) wherebetween the optical fibres or fibre ribbon are retained. 
     
     
       4. A storage device as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the clamping device comprises a slidable element (33, 30, 37) whereby the optical fibre or fibre ribbon can be pressed against a fixed wall. 
     
     
       5. A storage device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the mobility length (52) and the connection length (54) are wound in a coiled manner. 
     
     
       6. A storage device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that in a storage device constructed for the storage of a single optical fibre the distance between the guide walls is smaller than 1.3 times the thickness of the optical fibre. 
     
     
       7. A storage device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that in a storage device constructed for the storage of a fibre ribbon consisting of a flat arrangement of juxtaposed optical fibres the distance between the guide walls is slightly larger than the width of the fibre ribbon. 
     
     
       8. A storage device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the winding spaces are arranged to coaxially with respect to one another. 
     
     
       9. A sotrage device as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the winding spaces are arranged so as to be interleaved in one plane. 
     
     
       10. A storage device as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that in one of the winding spaces one of the ends of a fibre ribbon is guided through a guide duct in which its cross-section is rotated through 90° relative to its coiled condition. 
     
     
       11. A storage device as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the winding spaees are arranged coaxially on one over the other. 
     
     
       12. A storage device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the core (6) is eccentrically arranged with respect to the outer circumferential surface (5) of the surrounding winding space (8) and shifted towards the neighbouring entrance and exit openings (11 and 12), respectively for the optical fibres of fibre ribbon. 
     
     
       13. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the winding spaces are arranged on one side of a base plate, the other side of which accommodates a storage devicefor at least one optical fibre which is to be connected to one of the optical fibres stored in the winding spaces. 
     
     
       14. A storage device for a spare length of at least one optical fibre for connection to a cable end, said storage device being arrangeable proximate to the cable end and including a flat storage space in which the spare length is arranged in coiled form, an end of the optical fibre leading to the cable connection being extractable during which the diameter of the coil is reduced, the storage space comprising a core and guide walls which determine the minimum inner coil diameter, the maximum outer coil diameter and the axial height wherein the improvement comprises: wherein said first and second optical fibres are arranged about said core, said core having a radius larger than the mechanically permissible minimum bending radius of the optical fibre and smaller than the minimum bending radius of the optical fibre required to insure that light attenuation in the optical fibre is not increased, the storage space being subdivided into first and second winding spaces, said first winding space accommodating a first length of fibre required for forming the connection while the second winding space accommodates a second mobility length for permitting the device to be moved away from the cable end, said first length and said second length of said optical fibre being independently slidably extractable from and insertable into said first and second winding spaces. 
     
     
       15. The storage device as claimed in claim 14 wherein said first and second winding spaces are disposed concentrically. 
     
     
       16. The storage device as claimed in claim 14 wherein said first and second winding spaces are disposed concentrically on opposite sides of a base plate. 
     
     
       17. The storage device as claimed in claim 14 wherein the portion of the optical fibre which is situated between the mobility length and the connection length is secured to the storage device by a clamping device. 
     
     
       18. The storage device as claimed in claim 17 characterized in that the clamping device comprises elastic means engaging said optical fibres. 
     
     
       19. The storage device as claimed in claim 14 wherein said core is eccentrically arranged with respect to said winding spaces.